Slip it &amp; rip it

ABSTRACT

A hitting aid and method of use to improve a baseball/softball players batting swing and swinging path. The proper bat swing path is characterized by placing the round barrel part of the bat level to the round ball to strike the ball in a solid manner. The method of use, comprises of slipping on a vertical pad or pads with various colors and adjusting the pad to the desired handle and or barrel positions. While swinging at a ball the hitter is always keeping the vertical pads in the upright vertical position, automatically forcing the round bat to strike the round ball squarely through the pre-impact, impact, and post impact palms up positions that are required for solid zone striking contact for any kind of pitch or location, thus eliminating arm and wrist rolling over or under the ball.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of claims benefits of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/818,969 filed Mar. 15, 2019.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to a devise for improving a sporting technique. More specifically, the present invention relates to a vertical devise or tool that a baseball/softball player slips on his or her own bat encircling the handle and barrel to prefect his or her batting technique.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Invention relates to a baseball/softball hitting training tool and in particular, to a unique baseball/softball hitting training tool that is applied and encircled anywhere on the handle or barrel of a player's own said bat while hitting balls. Said invention It can be used with one pad only up to the trade mark for hitting pitched balls, tossed balls, tee balls on a batting tee or two pads can be used; one on the handle and or slipped up to the trade mark and one on the barrel end of the bat. Two said pads can be used to hit tossed balls from a machine, coach, teammate or friend or the two pads encircled on a player's own bat can strike balls off of a batting tee. The said training tool automatically guides hitters/batters through proper pre impact, impact, and post impact swinging mechanics for any kind of pitch, strike zone area or pitch location.

PRIOR ART OF VARIOUS TYPES OF HITTING TOOLS

U.S. Pat. No. 7,041,017 to Carfo et. al. discloses a baseball training aid which has a truncated section forming a flat hitting area on the bat. Though this devise can be used to hit a ball, it cannot be applied on a hitters own bat, the same bat that a player will be using in a game. In contrast, in the present invention, no vertical colored pad or pads can be applied nor removed from the barrel of this fixed device.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,269,511 to Chaves et. al. discloses a baseball batting training aid which has a rectangle loop netting section which is positioned at the end of the bat. This fixed device cannot expand nor reduce the sweet spot on the barrel as this device has a fixed net at the end of the bat. In addition, this hitting tool cannot be used on a player's own bat. This device can only catch the ball not hit the ball.

U.S. Pat. No. 9,610,486 B2 to Beggs discloses a batting aid apparatus which has a hole bore through to fit on a baseball or softball bat, to increase batting power, bat speed, swing path. Though this weighted round sleeve device can be used to hit balls and can be attached to the end of the barrel of a bat it cannot give a hitter the proper vertical positioning that is needed to hit a round ball with a round bat squarely, because, the device is not vertical or have a long straight edge, nor does this device give the colored visual of the vertical pads that is critical for a hitter to maintain throughout the pre-impact, impact, and post impact zone. This device is only applied to the end of the barrel of the bat and not applied to the handle to hit balls. It also can not increase or decrease the sweet spot of the barrel.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The said baseball/softball vertical hitting training tool and in particular, to a unique baseball/softball hitting training tool that is applied and encircled anywhere on the handle or barrel of a player's own said bat while hitting balls. The said baseball/softball hitting training tool invention for guiding batters to swing properly through the pre impact, impact, post impact hitting zone when facing various pitches and pitch locations. The tool resembles a rectangle colored tear resistant stretchable foam pad with having a top face/bottom face, and sides. Ranging from 5″-10″ length×3″-10″ wide×¼″-5″ in depth. Top face and bottom faces are flat areas of the vertical pads having various kinds of openings including a 1″-3″ slit or 1″-3″ hole opening to slip/slide and encircle onto said bat. It is a device/invention that when the colored vertical pads are slipped onto the bat and positioned vertically and the hitter's practice swinging over-and-over keeping the pads vertical throughout the swing either off a batting tee or toss machine it “brain trains” the hitter's which solves the problem of hitter's rolling their hand's over too far and hitting the top of the ball or missing it all together, and or slipping their hands way under the ball causing a pop up which lowers hitting successes including batting averages and home run's. It is a device of the said hitting invention that provides a new and flexible baseball/softball hitting training tool that is easy to slip on and off and up and down the handle and barrel of the bat. Giving rise to many vertical positions to increase or decrease hitter's sweet spot's increasing the potential of producing higher batting averages and home run production.

When said hitting aid is used to train a baseball/softball player to be a better hitter it comprises of the following steps:

1 Slip on hitter's own bat one or two vertical pads.

2 Adjust pad or pads to the desired straight up vertical positions along handle and barrel.

3 Hitter takes his/her stance at the plate and swings at the ball sitting on a batting tee or tossed from a machine or coach.

4 Hitter experiences failure rolling over or slipping under the ball causing ground balls and pop fly's.

5 Hitter can see the vertical pads on his or her own bat while swinging at the ball rolling over or slipping under the ball and learn how this is incorrect and can immediately on his or her own, adjust their very next swing keeping one or two vertical pads in the up position completely through the pre impact, impact, post impact position.

6 Hitter will achieve the correct arm and hand positions automatically which produces the correct swinging results no matter the type of pitch or location completely through the hitting zone enhancing solid contact and upping the potential of batting successes.

From the description above and the drawings the simplicity of said invention will be apparent.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of the said invention with slit opening.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the said invention with slit opening.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the said invention with slit opening.

FIGS. 4 & 5 & 6 shows how one or two of the vertical colored pads sliding onto the bat to create the desired hitting or striking practice area.

FIG. 7-14 shows the said invention in the pre-impact, impact and post-impact positions while hitting off a batting tee or toss machine.

FIG. 15 is a front view of the said invention with hole opening.

FIG. 16 is a top view of the said invention with hole opening.

FIG. 17 is a side view of the said invention with hole opening.

FIGS. 18 & 19 & 20 shows how one or two of the vertical colored pads sliding onto the bat to create the desired hitting or striking practice area.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Drawings in detail, FIG. 1 shows a three dimensional frontal, top, side, view of the invention. As shown in FIG. 1 the invention is made from a light foam with various colors ranging from 5″-10″ in length {1}×3″-5″ wide {2}×¼″-5″ depth {3}. Three dimensional rectangle shaped vertical pad with a 1″-5″ slit centered in the pad {4}, cut completely straight down through the pad.

FIG. 2 top view of colored vertical pad. {5}

FIG. 3 side view of colored vertical pad. {6}

FIG. 4, 5, 6 show the said bat {8} having the vertical pads on said invention slipped thereto. One pad only {7} FIG. 4 or two vertical pads {7,7} FIG. 5 are slipped on the baseball/softball bat {8} to desired location above the handle.

FIG. 5. one pad {7} slipped two-to-four inches from the top of bat {8} and the other pad when desired anywhere above the handle {7}, creating a hitting sweet spot on the barrel as shown in FIG. 6 {7,8,7}

FIG. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 shows the softball/baseball player using said invention with a batting tee shown in {10}/toss machine shown in {12}. As the hitter swings the bat {8} with the colored vertical pads keeping the pads vertical before impact, at impact, after impact no matter the strike zone type of pitch location or area he/she will train their brains to swing correctly creating solid ball contact and better batting results. And then carry that great swing over into a game. Training with the vertical hitting pads with various colors over-and-over trains the hitter's brain to automatically apply the proper swing during a game to potentially produce a higher batting average and home run production. When the hitter see's {He will notice while swinging at the ball} the colored vertical pads in the vertical position before, during, and through the hitting zone in FIG. 9 & FIG. 13 he/she will strike the ball in a solid fashion and avoid rolling the hands over too early causing a ground ball or a complete miss of the ball and will avoid slipping his or her hands way under the ball causing a pop fly. The said invention is a hitting training tool for any baseball/softball player of any age that solves the major problem of hitter's rolling their hands over too early and or slipping their hands under too far while swinging at a pitched ball in various locations of the strike zone which lowers batting averages and home run production.

FIG. 15 shows a three dimensional frontal view of the said invention. As shown in FIG. 15 the invention is made from a light foam with various colors ranging from 5″-10″ in length {13}×3″-5″ wide {14}×¼″-5″ depth {15}. Three dimensional rectangle shaped vertical pad with a 1″-5″ hole centered in the pad {16}, cut completely straight down through the pad.

FIG. 16 top view of colored vertical pad with hole. {17}

FIG. 17 side view of colored vertical pad with hole. {18}

FIG. 18, 19, 20 show the bat having the invention slipped and encircled thereto.

FIG. 18 {19} One hole-pad only used by the said player/hitter is slipped over the knob of the bat {8} to any location on the grip portion of the handle up to the trade mark of the bat {8} or two colored vertical pads FIG. 19 {19, 19} are slipped on the baseball/softball bat {8} to desired location above the handle. One pad {19} slipped two to four inches from the top of bat {8} and the other pad {19} when desired anywhere above the handle, creating a hitting sweet spot practice area on the barrel as shown in FIG. 20 {19, 8, 19}.

The above described embodiments of the said invention are illustrative only and not limiting. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from said invention in its broader aspects.

A vertical hitting training tool of various colors for baseball/softball player's own bat that is used while hitting balls, that teaches the proper swinging motion through the pre impact, impact and post impact positions for any kind of pitch or location that is thrown by a pitcher. 

The embodiments of the said invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
 1. A vertical hitting training tool provided for hitting comprising of: one or two high tear resistant stretchable foam pads with of various shapes, colors or sizes that encircles and hugs tightly a said player's wood, metal, composite, plastic baseball/softball bat/stick, and designed with a slit or hole or diamond opening completely through the middle of the foam slipped over the knob of the said bat encircling and hugging anywhere along the length of the player's bat including the handle and barrel of said bat or stick.
 2. Said vertical hitting training tool in claim 1, pad or pads encircling and hugging the bat can be adjusted to desired positions along the handle and barrel prior to player's “sweet spot” practice swings including; dry swings, tee ball, toss machine etc. Keeping said predetermined vertical positions of the vertical pads with various colors, vertical, throughout pre impact, impact, and post impact positions aid the player/hitter to accomplish the proper swing path.
 3. Wherein vertical hitting training tool in claim 1, when said player/hitter keeps the colored vertical pads vertical swing-after-swing while training day after day he/or she trains their brains and muscles to respond automatically throughout the complete impact swinging zone no matter the location of the pitch. Said vertical pads kept vertical while encircling the bat handle and or barrel places the player/hitter in the correct arm and palms up position that is desired to accomplish a proper swing path for any pitch or location producing solid ball contact thus increasing hitting successes, including increased batting averages, runs batted in and Home Runs.
 4. Baseball/softball vertical hitting training tool in claim 1 slipped on a baseball or softball bat comprising; a three dimensional rectangle foam pad with rounded or square corners with various colors ranging from 5″-10″ in length by 3″-10″ wide by ¼″-5″ depth with a 1″-3″ slit or 1″-3″ hole in the center of the vertical pad. wherein said pad and 1″-3″ slit or 1″-3″ hole go hand in hand.
 5. Wherein vertical hitting training tool in claim 4 said 1″-3″ slit opening centered in the said foam pad having means for slipping onto, encircling and hugging said handle and barrel of said bat.
 6. Wherein vertical hitting training tool in claim 4 said 1″-3″ hole centered in the said foam pad having means for slipping onto, encircling and hugging said handle and barrel of said bat.
 7. Wherein vertical hitting training tool in claim 1 said means for attaching said vertical foam pad of various colors to said bat is a 1″-3″ slit or 1″-3″ hole where by the complete colored vertical pad encircles the bat knob, handle, and or barrel by way of the 1″-3″ slit or 1″-3″ hole to any point on handle or barrel of the bat.
 8. Wherein vertical hitting training tool in claim 3 by said player/hitter while dry swinging, hitting balls from a batting tee or toss machine and is not keeping the colored vertical pads vertical throughout the impact swinging zone will allow hitter to see colored pads rolling over or slipping under the said ball causing ground outs and pop ups and in turn this will teach said player/hitter to self correct on future practice swings keeping colored vertical pad or pads vertical accomplishing the proper swing path and increasing solid ball contact.
 9. Wherein vertical hitting training tool in claim 3, when said player/hitter keeps the colored vertical pads vertical swing-after-swing while training day after day he/or she trains their brains and muscles to respond automatically while participating in future practices and games when their vertical pads aren't on their bat's. 